Three-horse race for the last first division place The battle for eighth position by the split and therefore the final berth in the first division beginning 30 March appears to be between Los Hombres de Paco, Inter San Isidro and Triskel. Notionally, Madrid Reds and Finbars 67 could still slip into the second tier if a combination of results went against them, yet an expected win against Rastrofarians this weekend would see Finbars safe with another two games to spare. Madrid Reds would need to lose their final game, see both Inter San Isidro and Triskel win their remaining games and their goal difference would also need to take a serious hit in comparison to San Isidro for the Liverpool Supporters club to miss out on first division football. Of the three likely contenders, Triskel are the team with their destiny in their own hands, currently sitting on 16 points with three games to play against Los Galácticos, Actimel and Finbars 67. It is often said, however, that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush and only the Actimel match would appear to be a safe bet for three points – Los Galácticos and Finbars will be looking to beat the Blues based on form this season, though Triskel’s encouraging recent results suggest nine points from nine is certainly not beyond them. The club with the ‘simplest’ mission are the boys in pink and black, Los Hombres de Paco: they know their match on Sunday is effectively a playoff against Inter San Isidro. If LHdP win, Inter San Isidro cannot finish above them and fewer than five points for Triskel will see Los Hombres maintain the top flight status they have always enjoyed since the reintroduction of divisions six years ago. A defeat would directly condemn them to the second division and a draw would leave either San Isidro or Triskel (who beat LHdP in the head-to-head, so an equal points tally favouring the Blues) requiring three points to finish above them and dump them into the basement league. Inter San Isidro’s chance of making the first division hinges initially on them not losing to Los Hombres de Paco, who, as luck would have it, they also meet in the league cup quarter final the week after this league clash. A win would end the challenge of Los Hombres de Paco but not that of Triskel’s. Inter San Isidro’s boys in the orange of Holland had the beating of Triskel on the opening day of the season, signifying their superiority should they finish level on points. Yet only by beating LHdP and Británicos would they force Triskel to win all three of their remaining matches to pip them to the coveted eighth place. Defeat would mean second division football for the team formerly known as Dutch Gold. A draw this Sunday would keep them one point behind Los Hombres and would mean only a win against the wildly unpredictable Británicos could allow them to leapfrog their rivals in normal circumstances. Two draws would usually mean Inter finished below LHdP on goal difference, although, if by a quirk of fate all three teams finished on 19 points, the tie-breaker would revert to head-to-head records and Inter San Isidro would squeeze into the elite by the skin of their teeth (three-way head-to-head: ISI 4pts, Triskel 3pts, LHdP 1pt). Confused and excited at the same time? So you fecking should be.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Mar 2014 00:37:13 +0000
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